“For those of you who have read this far through the poorly organized ramblings of a man possessed by passion, you have my sympathies. Either your obsession rivals my own or this text was inflicted upon you. Regardless, I wish you well. Unless, of course, this is the first page you turned to through happenstance or because someone who earned these words tipped you off. Should you fall into this second category, I hope - with great malice - that you stub your toe on something pointy. Why? None of your business. Read the book properly if you want to find out.”

~Unknown

“Farriering [Horse].” Hwan read the words aloud with calm professionalism. Marco was asleep in Tina’s arms, but evidently consciousness was not required for the ‘Status Orb’ - as I’d come to refer to Hwan’s bonafide magical item - to manifest a simplified representation of the infant’s Core Skill.

I watched in real time as the tension drained from my parent’s shoulders, even as a wave of relief all my own washed over me. Their response said it all; there were no immediate issues with Marco’s Core Skill. He was normal, as far as such things went.

We were crammed into Hwan’s office. Despite the passage of years since my first visit, it remained just as sparse, if neatly maintained.

“It is a fine Core Skill,” Hwan continued, letting a polite smile grace his expression and sharpen the crow’s feet creeping out the corners of his eyes.

“Farriering…” Tulos let the word trail off for a moment. “Are there any in the village with the Skill?”

“I am afraid not, but it is not an insurmountable barrier,” Hwan replied reassuringly. “For most, Skilled farriering would be excessive - especially this far from The Capital. That does not mean there are none versed in the techniques, though.”

All three of us nodded our understanding. Tina, who was holding Marco, pulled him in closer, as if afraid the good news would somehow sour and suddenly snatch him from her.

“Will you buy a horse for Marco to practice on?” It seemed like the easiest way to give him access to proficiency points. My own curiosity aside, Tina looked like she needed a distraction.

“Among other things, probably - eventually. We will also need to get him an apprenticeship with a Smith when he is old enough.” Tina took the bait and answered, her lips gently pursed as she considered the situation.

Tulos rested one of his hands on Tina’s knee to get her attention.

“Those are all concerns for a later time.”

As the pair locked eyes, silent communication occurred. That language of trust and understanding, untested in weeks, easily remembered when no longer burdened by concerns of Core Skills and terrifying hypotheticals. “You are right, love.”

“I will handle the paperwork, of course, but unless there is anything else I believe we can finish up.” Hwan was either oblivious to their moment or unwilling to play host to it. Surprisingly, his words poured a bucket of ice water over my parents - it went beyond the shy embarrassment of being caught in an intimate moment. Tina was the first to regain her composure.

“There is something else, actually.” Hwan gestured for her to continue, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

Or is that concern? Maybe? I didn’t dwell on it too long. I was similarly unaware of an additional purpose to our visit.

“It concerns Will. Now that we are in a formal meeting, there is no excuse to not bring it up.”

I clenched the fabric of my pants in alarm as I realized where Tina was going with her train of thought. Through the Tamer Bond, I felt Fudge stir briefly from his position outside.

CONCERN? I forced a feeling of reassurance to Fudge in response to his innocent inquiry, but my attention remained largely locked on the conversation. I didn’t even have time to properly appreciate the serendipitous mirroring of our thoughts.

“Will has entered the first Tier.” Tina had paused just long enough to take a quick breath before dropping the bombshell; quick, like ripping off a bandaid.

“... Pardon?” Hwan’s question was flat, which wasn’t exactly reassuring. He definitely-

“You heard.” It was Tulos who replied, his expression grim as he voiced my half-finished thought. Everyone knew the implications of the report, and I could at least infer them.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

I also wasn't warned about any of this… It was irksome.

Hwan interlocked his fingers and rested the resulting ‘double-fist’ on his desk. Exasperation leaked out of him in a long sigh.

“When?”

“Officially? A week ago.” Tina had taken the lead in the discussion.

“Unofficially?”

“We both know it would be dangerous for you to know that.”

“It is dangerous regardless.” Hwan’s rebuttal carried conviction and his eyes hardened. “Should I come under real scrutiny, even my meager suspicions will come to light, and I would wager they at least touch on the truth.”

My head was flicking between the two of them as if I were watching a tennis match.

Gonna have to call it 15-love for Hwan on that one. The message was clear; he was sticking his neck out for us, so he deserved the truth.

It was hard to disagree.

“Sorry, Hwan, you are right I just…”

“I know. I understand. Even so.”

Tina adjusted her grip on Marco, who was still managing to sleep through the affair.

“Right. Will Advanced the same day as the Fueha attack. The encounter was his breakthrough, see?”

I saw Hwan’s eyes widen slightly at the news but his face betrayed little else.

“I see. This complicates matters.” His hands separated and one of them drummed on the large book that took up most of his desk. “I will need the details.”

“We understand.”

The urge to interrupt and plead some kind of case was nagging at me but I could think of nothing that would meaningfully sway the situation. There was no room for full secrecy.

Not legally, at least.

It was an empty prospect and I knew it; we weren’t in any position to defy the law. I was forced to sit in quiet frustration while Tina laid bare the circumstances surrounding my Advancement.

“The presence of the younger dog makes significantly more sense now,” Hwan commented as Tina told him about Taming [Dog], the first of my new Skills. At one point, he retrieved a piece of parchment and quill pen from his desk and started jotting down notes in tight, efficient script. “What of the second Skill?”

There was no response.

“Tina, what was Will’s second- I do not like that expression.” He glanced up from the page mid-sentence and saw the hesitation Tina wore. “Tina. What was the Skill?”

“Listen, Hwan, is there any chance we can-”

“The. Skill. What was it?”

“I chose Recovery.” Dancing around the issue was anxiety inducing in itself and I was in no mood to indulge that emotion - I did enough of that at home. “Apparently it is unusual, but I already have Perseverance as a Core Skill, so…” I trailed off, trusting the adults to catch my implication.

I’m an outlier either way.

Hwan’s scribbling stopped mid-stroke.

“Is he telling the truth?”

Both of my parents nodded their affirmation, and Tulos uncomfortably shifted his weight in his too-small chair.

“Well… shit.” It was almost enough to make me sputter; I’d never heard the older man get remotely close to cursing, especially in official dealings. We gave Hwan a few moments to gather his thoughts. The nib of his quill tapped staccato against the parchment, a gentle rhythm for his thoughts. I noticed that, despite the relative carelessness of the action, not a single drop of ink was spilled, smudged or set loose from the confines of the instrument.

A Skill, maybe?

“Well, in the short term this changes nothing,” he eventually concluded. “I will send my monthly reports and what will be will be. Have you made preparations?” The question was directed towards Tina and Tulos; no effort was made to disguise the subtext.

Have you made preparations for when this inevitably becomes an issue.

“We have.” It was Tulos who answered, since the question made Tina visibly uncomfortable. I reached out and grabbed the hem of her shirt, a trinket display of comfort and support.

“Then I believe that is all for today.” There was a finality to the words.

Polite farewells were exchanged and it wasn’t long before we were back on the road. There was no laughter or pleasant conversation, just an air of subdued anticipation.

Tina held Marco like a delicate lifeline, periodically kissing the top of scalp with a mother’s tenderness. Tulos walked with a fist clenched, though occasionally I saw his fingers twitch as if grasping for something that wasn’t there.

Fudge tried to cheer me up with his antics, but soon realized that I just wanted him to be close. I trudged alongside him, burdened by a pang of guilt.

What should have been a day for happy celebration and planning for Marco’s future was tainted by the problems born from my existence. I’d already robbed Tina and Tulos of regular childrearing once, and it felt like my presence was going to ruin the chance they had with Marco, too.

I sighed. It was hard not to feel responsible.

By all accounts, they’ll probably be better off once I am out of the picture.